


The Shark

by gayforthewilds



Category: The Wilds (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, I Tried, I can’t write I’m sorry, shoni for life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:27:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28958688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gayforthewilds/pseuds/gayforthewilds
Summary: shark attack scene except Shelby also gets hurt(like close to death hurt so if violent descriptions is not your thing please don’t read it!!) toni’s reaction to shelby getting hurt. nora dies/vanishes in the sea
Relationships: Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe
Comments: 20
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter 1

**TW: small mention of suicide/ suicidal thoughts (Becca and Shelby)**

the girls had started to settle on the island. they had started to become comfortable with each others presence, they all had a small spark of hope that maybe they could get through this together and be _okay._   
  


until the shark attack. 

Fatin and Dot were both fixated on watching leah, who looked extremely roughed up, charging towards Nora.   
  


Until martha noticed the shark.   
  


heading towards Rachel.

she became mixed with fear and panic and hopelessness, as her pitching scream echoed through the island trying to warn the girls and Rachel.

martha felt the same impending doom as she did when she watched Jeanette die.   
  


Nora, instantly lost all fear of Leah exposing her, and before she knew it, she was screaming and running towards the water to save Rachel. The weight of the guilt almost destroying her, knowing that she agreed to this and her sister was paying the price.

Shelby and Toni ran towards the other girls to see what was going on, holding hands both silently terrified.   
  


toni never believed in religion, but she was sure as hell hoping there was someone watching over them to save Rachel.

Shelby looked at the other girls, who were frozen with fear and jumped into action. Before Toni knew it, Shelby was halfway in the water swimming furiously towards Rachel and Nora.

Shelby didn’t care that Rachel had Ill feelings towards her after the muscle incident, most of the girls did. The thoughts of Becca rushed through her head, her hopelessness, her inability to save her, and the words that may have drove Becca over the edge.

she couldn’t lose someone else, regardless of what they thought of her.

she could faintly hear Toni screaming her name in the background, and the small cracks of fear as Toni shouted didn’t go unnoticed. It broke Shelbys heart, but the thought of being rescued and going back to her family which basically confinement and control from who she truly is, how they would simply not accept her love for girls regardless of the happiness toni brought her, made Shelby realise she did not care if she died. Rachel had a home, with Nora, a family.   
  


Shelby did not have that so she was truly willing to sacrifice herself for Rachel and Nora.   
  


As she swam closer to Rachel and Nora and the huge fucking shark, she realised she was highly unlikely to make it out alive. She closed her eyes for a moment and hoped Toni knew how much Shelby really loved her.

as she swam closer and closer she seen the blood that had taken over the ocean, and Rachel who was screaming in pain fighting for her life.

Suddenly, Nora was nowhere to be seen.   
Shelby felt the nausea in her stomach realising she couldn’t see Nora, but instinctively she grabbed Rachel and brought her back to shore as fast as she could.   
  
Dot, who had finally broken free from her state of fear, grabbed Rachel and got to work, instantly grabbing the first aid supplies they had. Fatin, Leah and Martha instantly huddled around. They knew they were out of their depth when they seen Rachel missing a limb, but they couldn’t give up.

not yet.   
  


Toni was screaming at Shelby, begging her not to go back into the water for Nora, insisting someone else could go and she has done enough.   
  


Shelby couldn’t stop herself. She had to get Nora, she HAD too. Nora was one of the purest souls she had ever met, this was not how she deserved to die. Shelby subconsciously knew there was a very small chance nora was still alive after still not being able to see her, but still, she ran.

as she ran tori wasn’t the only one screaming now. Fatin, Dot, Leah, Martha were all telling her to come back, telling her Nora was gone, telling her it’s too dangerous.

but if she didn’t do it, no one was going too.

she swam and swam and swam, back to the red blood swarming where the shark was. She had no idea if the shark was still around, and quite frankly she didn’t care.   
  


she felt a sharp stab in her chest as she seen a limp body, afloat, no movement at all.   
  


it was Nora.   
  


with tears in her eyes, she tried to lift Nora as best as she could, her energy level was decreasing rapidly after carrying back Rachel.   
  


“she’s dead” she said

Then she said it again.

repeatedly,

then she screamed it. Over and over and over.   
  


Despite how far out she was, she could see the heartbreak on everyone’s face. The defeat. The guilt. Like they could’ve done more.   
  


but she couldn’t blame them. She doesn’t even know how she plucked up the courage in the first place.

Although she knew there was no hope, she started frantically swimming with Nora in her arms. They were all trained in first aid, she thought. We need to atleast try.   
  


She started to enter the shallower part of the ocean. Where she could stand. She could barely speak but she managed to shout to the girls to help get Nora and attempt resuscitation.   
  


Dot and Fatin were still frantically treating Nora, while all the other girls ran towards Shelby to attempt to save Nora.

Shelby felt a sharp pull, and before she knew it she was engulfed in the ocean.   
  


The Shark had found its next target. She could hear the mumbled screams of the girls as they watched her get dragged into the ocean.   
  


Shelby could feel the sharp teeth, the sharp bites. But she fought. For Toni. for the other girls. To save them from the inconvenience of her death. 

Despite being in a life or death situation, Shelby felt a tug at her heart as she realised the only reason she was trying to save herself was to stop herself being a further inconvenience.   
  


She felt like she was worth absolutely nothing.

but she kept fighting. If she can avoid unloading the burden of her death onto the girls, the pains worth it. Right?   
  



	2. shit Ton of shoni. shelbys injuries.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i promised i would get this out as soon as I could! I got a few comments very fast and I can’t thank you guys enough! my little shoni shipping family <3
> 
> damn i wish I had a gf  
> still, it’s a great day to be gay!

TW: GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, BLOOD, SUICIDE  
Shelby was fighting for what felt like forever.

To not be engulfed by the shark, to not get ripped to shreds and cause further trauma for the girls. 

Her vision became clouded as the sea became a darker red from what it was before, and as she looked down at her stomach, there was a huge gash and blood pouring out.

She must’ve completely disassociated because as she looked around her body she was covered in blood, seeping out of cuts from the ruthless shark, everywhere. 

She must have lost a hell of a lot of blood, because she felt herself becoming faint, her inability to breathe, and her lack of energy and exhaustion that she couldn’t even reach the surface. 

She suddenly felt a body against hers, pulling her out from the sea, she instantly breathed in the fresh air of the island, regretting ever taking it for granted. She looked up, and it was Toni dragging her body, with tears filling her eyes. When the water became shallow, she seen Dot. 

Toni had instantly ran towards Shelby once seeing her pulled into the water, but it felt like she was being slowed down by the forces of gravity, like she couldn’t get to her fast enough. When she finally got Shelby in her arms, and seen Shelbys blood start to cover her, her stomach dropped. She doesn’t know why she didn’t run when she seen Rachel, she wanted too. But she couldn’t. But when she seen Shelby, everything flashed before her and instinct kicked in. 

Toni. The girl Shelby loved so much and never even got a chance to fully express it. Toni ignited something in her. She longed for freedom with Toni, she didn’t care if it was on the streets of the shittiest, dodgiest town, she just wanted to be with Toni. 

Toni became her home, her comfort and warmth, her ability to break down Shelbys walls. To see right through her. 

Dot grabbed her legs and together they dragged her back to the sand.

She looked like she had been in a murder scene. 

She seen Rachel, bandaged and exhausted.

Then she seen Nora.  
Lifeless. 

She instantly tried to fight toni and dot off, telling them to save Nora instead. 

“She’s Gone.” Martha looked at her, heartbroken.

Shelby couldnt come to terms with this. Not after Becca. She tried the best to find the energy to get up and save Nora, but she just fell right back down again. 

Rachel looked stable. 

Thank Fuck, she thought.

She felt a hand on her face, she looked up, and it was Toni.

Toni looked completely soft, tears filling up her eyes. 

But she also looked full of panic. 

Toni felt the sharpest stab in her chest. Shelby was everything to her. It may sound ridiculous because well, they hated eachother at the start. But Shelby brought out a side in Toni that she didn’t even know she had. A side full of hope, where she didn’t kick at herself for imagining a future, of her and Shelby in some apartment together, cooking in the kitchen, watching movies and cuddling. 

Toni wanted to fucking marry this girl.

And she was loosing her right in front of her eyes. 

Dot didn’t ask Toni to help, she knew it would break the girl, instead, she let Toni comfort Shelby. 

Dot was never sure when she figured out the girls were more than friends, maybe when she noticed all their subtle looks and smiles towards eachother, maybe when she noticed them lying together at night talking about the stars, maybe when they always agreed to pair with eachother.

Dots heart shattered for both of them, knowing this could potentially be their last moment together. 

Shelby looked like a fucking wreck, all the fabric they were using to stop the bleeding was just instantly soaked, Shelby looked weak and pale. 

Martha was observing Rachel, Fatin and Leah were helping Dot try to save Shelby. 

They couldn’t lose another girl. 

Leahs mind instantly went to when she accused Shelby of knowing about the island, the aggression she had towards Shelby, knowing she was partly at fault that night Shelby had a breakdown and cut chunks of the blonde pageant hair she had carefully curated for years. 

Maybe Shelby and Leah didn’t get off on the right foot, but she was warming to her, starting to also see through the picture perfect girl.

Shelby felt hot tears starting to prickle down her cheek. She was going to die. She had no fucking hope. 

“guys” She said weakly, “please, just go help Rachel. I have no fucking chance at all.” 

“Shelbs.” Toni said softly, with the tears and fear filling her voice, “no fucking way.” 

Shelby felt herself becoming weaker and weaker. Her vision becoming blurred. Faintly seeing the girls rushing around desperate to save her. 

Toni noticed this instantly. Then it sunk in Tonis stomach. 

She had never told Shelby she loved her. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Dot. “Guys, we need to sit her up. Lean her against something. Her breathing is shallow. We need to keep her awake and lying down won’t help.”

“I got it.” Toni says instantly and runs behind shelby, lifting her into her arms.

Shelby instantly feels the warmth of Toni, the home she feels in her arms. With the little strength she has, she brings her hand to tonis free hand and intertwines her fingers with Tonis. 

“babe, I got you, you’re going to be okay, we’re going to be okay.” She whispers in Shelbys ear.

She smiles as much as she can at that, but she doesnt know if she’ll truly be okay. 

Toni decides its time. Time to tell shelby how much she truly means to her, before it’s too late. 

“I love you so fucking much” Toni says softly in shelbys ear

If words could heal wounds, Shelby would be instantly fixed.

“I love you too, like, more than anything” Shelby whispers back. It’s weak, due to her body being in so much pain, but it’s loud enough that Toni can hear. The other girls hear too and smile slightly. They don’t mention it though, they are too busy trying to stop Shelby from dying. 

“So fight for me.” Toni says. “ I know it hurts, I know you feel weak but fight through it for me, survive for me, for our future” toni says while choking on her tears. 

It’s enough to motivate Shelby to stay awake as much as possible. Toni is playing with her hair, giving her cool water every once in a while to try and keep her alert. 

Dot speaks up, “alright Shelby, this is going to hurt like shit, but it’s to stop infection before we bandage these. We need to Bandage as fast as possible so you don’t lose anymore blood so bear with me as I need to do this fast. Fatin is going to help me.”

Dot doesn’t wait for Shelbys response, she’s already started disinfecting the wounds.

The pain rides through Shelbys whole body. It would be fine if it was one or two gashes, but she has a shit ton. She can’t help but let out a scream while tears pour down her face. Her breathing quickens from the pain.

Dot looks up apologetically but she knows this is what she has to do, if Shelby got an infection, they have no antibiotics to save her. 

“It’s okay, ive got you. I’m so proud of you.” Toni whispers into Shelby while leaving a soft kiss on her shoulder. 

Shelby relaxes as much as she can hearing tonis words, slightly leaning back into Toni further to feel the comfort she’s providing. 

While she knows Dot and Fatin are doing as much as they can (Leah helped for a while but couldn’t stop herself from vomiting, Shelby can’t blame her.) she still doesn’t know if she’ll make it.

She accidentally says her fears out loud.

“Am I going to die?”

Everyone looks up at her. 

She can instantly tell Dot and Fatin aren’t actually sure wether she’ll survive or not.

“no, no, you aren’t, we have our lives ahead of us. You and me. Together.” Toni says a little bit loudly than before, as if she’s trying to convince herself aswell. 

Fatin speaks up, “we’ve disinfected them Shelby, we have water, we have food (Lychees aren't very filling but she doesn’t argue, she has no energy) youll be okay. we won’t allow another outcome.” Shelby smiles weakly at Fatin.

While Fatin may be a bit much sometimes, Shelby truly appreciates her. How she kept Shelby and Toni a secret, how she tried her best to comfort her after she chopped her hair off. 

Leah comes running, with Lychees and fresh water from the camp, for Shelby. 

Toni looks at her, silently thanking her. 

“Hey Shelbs, babe, I need you to eat these for me. To try and give you more energy.” Toni says softly, while feeding her the Lychees.

Shelby eats them, while a million thoughts run through her head, the lychee tree, how gentle Toni was with her, how it didn’t feel like a sin at all, like her father said. How being in a relationship with Toni feels like how she would imagine heaven. Shelby wasn’t cutting ties with her religion, there was aspects that she loved.

But she was sure as hell cutting ties with her father and his toxic mindset. 

Shelby looks up at toni, slightly less paper than before eating. 

“Be with me. On this island and off this island. I don’t want to go home. I want to love you, truly, freely, without reservation. Without fear.” Shelby said, slowly and carefully, she didn’t have a lot of energy to even talk after what just occurred.

Toni smiled down at her, tears running down her cheek. “I will, and i hope it’s for a long fucking time” she chuckles slightly.

she feels partly reassured that Shelby is speaking more, less pale, but her heart aches for what the girl just went through. She feels immense guilt. Why didn’t she jump in instantly? Why didn’t she stop Shelby? Why did she stand, frozen in fear, and just watch? 

It’s almost as if Shelby can read her thoughts because she gives Tonis hand a short squeeze and whispers, “it’s okay. im okay. we’ll be okay.”

Toni reaches down and gives Shelby a soft kiss, full of reassurance, comfort and pure love. 

This time it’s Toni praying. Toni praying that God is real. That Shelby will survive.  
+++++  
It’s been a few days since the incident. Everyone has struggled with Noras death, Shelby especially, she tried so hard to save her and couldn’t. Rachel is yet to come to terms with it, let alone losing a limb. 

While Shelby is surprisingly recovering well, Toni is extremely overprotective. Carrying her everywhere, checking on her every night, biting back at everyone if she’s being asked to do too much. 

The girls let Shelby and Toni have a rest week. Sure, Toni was fine, but the girls knew the connection between them was something extremely out of this world, so they let Toni stay with Shelby.

Toni still feels a sense of guilt. It’s no secret that while Shelbys injuries are healing, she’ll have permanent scars in some places. Toni wishes she had done something more. 

Shelby and Toni are lying down together, facing eachother, but somehow also tangled up in eachother. 

Toni kisses shelbys hand softly, “how are you feeling?”

“i tried to save her Toni, I really did.” 

“Hey, hey,” Toni coos, pulling Shelby closer. “I know you did. We all know you did. Hell, you almost sacrificed yourself for her.” 

Shelby looks down and feels tears fill in her eyes. “It’s just like, no matter how hard I try, i can’t save anyone. I didn’t even get to Rachel in time.” 

Toni nudges her softly, “are you forgetting you saved my life?” she smiles. 

shelby softly chuckles, “the things I had to do to get you to swallow that fucking pill.”

“well I’m glad you did. or we wouldn’t have this right now.” toni smiles, intertwining her hand with Shelbys. 

“Did you mean it?” Shelby asks.

“Mean what?” Toni questions

“Like... being with me for a really long time” Shelby asks shyly

“Of course I did. I love you, Shelbs.” Toni says, before kissing her softly. 

“I love you too. Maybe more than a really long time? Maybe forever?” Shelby asks smiling slightly, stomach knotting as she wonders if she scared Toni off.

“Forever.” Toni smiles, kissing her again, softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> would you guys like another chapter? the aftermath? How the girls deal with Noras death? getting off the island, future etc. 
> 
> Or if you have suggestions for a completely different concept, let me know
> 
> I know my fanfics are nowhere near as good as other peoples, I seriously admire the creativity and natural flair of writing people have on here. I never get bored reading them. 
> 
> Hopefully I’ll improve!! give me ur thoughts about other concepts, continuing with this etc :)


	3. as long as I’m here, no one can hurt you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry I know you guys are like wtf why is she uploading so fast 
> 
> I’m obsessed okay
> 
> does anyone else have this image of Shelby singing all the good girls go to hell while the whole group watches in shock? just me?

it had been a week since shelby, nora and Rachel were attacked.

Rachel was not holding up well, no one expected her too. The loss of her sister has drained her. She feels numb. Like half of her is gone.

She thanked Shelby for her best efforts after she seen how much of a state Shelby was in, physically and mentally. She didn’t blame Shelby at all. If Shelby hadn't went in, Nora would've never even been found. 

Shelby was still very physically weak, unable to walk with very little strength. 

This concerned all the girls, especially Toni. All of them had expected a fast recovery, they quickly realised they underestimated the extent of her injuries. 

Toni was devoted to looking after Shelby, checking everyday for infection, disinfecting the wounds, comforting Shelby and her cries of pain, then re bandaging her wounds once cleaned. 

She had also been carrying Shelby everywhere, while every once in a while Shelby was sure she could walk again, which would just result in her yelping in pain and falling.

Toni always caught her before she hit the ground.  
Toni barely slept, she constantly watched the blonde girl she was head over heels for, making sure there was no signs of discomfort. 

Shelby had been having a lot of nightmares recently, about the attack, about Becca, about the crushing guilt she was facing.

Toni ached for her, and was always there to hold her and wipe away the tears.

Shelby tore down her walls completely one night, told Toni everything about Becca, how she blamed herself for her death. Toni instantly comforted her, while realising how deeply Shelby was actually ashamed of herself.

She was never the perfect, happy, Christian girl Toni thought she was at the beginning. 

Shelby had become in an increasingly concerning mental state. She blamed herself for Beccas death, for Rachel’s injury, for Noras death. 

One night when Shelby couldn’t sleep, Toni took Fatins hair brush and carefully brushed through the knots in Shelbys hair, carrying her carefully over to the sea to wash her hair with Martha’s 2-1 shampoo and conditioner. It was the least she could do. 

Shelby clung to her everytime they got close to the sea, refusing to let go, Toni constantly reassured her, holding her in her arms and kissing her gently everytime her fear began to grow.

Shelby could no longer no near the water, not even the beautiful waterfall that Fatin found. It was too much for her. Too much for Rachel too.

Overtime Rachel and Shelby grew closer, after the ordeal they had been through. Talking about their fears and traumas of what they went through, how they could both barely go near the water anymore.

While Toni protected Shelby, Shelby protected Rachel, she cleaned and disinfected her wounds everyday, carefully remembering how Toni does to her. 

When Shelby was able to finally walk again with just a small limp, Tonis eyes filled with tears as she hugged her gently, told her how proud she was, and kissed all over her face. 

Toni and Shelby fell deeper and deeper in love, Toni still sticking to the routine of washing Shelbys hair, cleaning her wounds, holding her and kissing her, falling asleep with her every night.

Until they got separated. 

That stupid fucking bunker, Toni thought.

Shelbys heart broke when she had to use her one visit on Leah, as much as she loved Leah, she missed Toni the most. 

But giving Leah that note was their only hope.

Shelbys hair was shaved off. Not by choice, by force. Some sort of mental experiment. She had been through so much and that moment broke her as she realised she was some sort of puppet, just like her dad treated her. Her screams pierced through the bunker that night as she broke down before being sedated, so loud that every girl demanded to see her.

But the agents didn’t budge. 

Toni was stuck in her thoughts, wondering if she was okay, if she had been hurt, what the fuck was happening.

Everyone was slowly losing patience.

The whole time alongside this Dot, Shelby and Leah had been planning. 

The plan? To get everyone the fuck out of here.

That’s when Shelby faked her anaphylactic reaction,

But Toni didn’t know that. 

So when Sirens blared and she demanded to be told what was going on, and an agent swiftly looked at her and told her “anaphylactic shock” before slamming her door shut, she was filled with rage. 

She knew it was Shelby.   
Who the fuck was so stupid to give Shelby shellfish? 

Agent Young burst into her room no longer than 5 minutes later. 

“come on.”

Toni was visibly confused, but followed. Honestly, where the fuck where they going?

That’s when she was met with every other girl. Rachel, Leah, Dot, Fatin, Martha.

Where the fuck was Shelby? 

Apparently agent Young had some realisation that this was practically mental torture, and helped the girls escape. 

“I’m not fucking leaving without Shelby.” Toni said aggressively. 

“We aren’t, she’s coming soon.” Dot chimed in.

Shelby eventually came and when the two girls locked eyes, Shelby instantly ran towards Toni.

Well, limped.

Toni slightly chuckled at this but pulled her into the longest kiss possible.

Everything was explained after that to the girls.

How the fuck did the three of them pull this off? She had no fucking clue. She was just glad to be out of there.

She turned to Shelby, “nice work babe” smirking slightly.

“Looks like your right, I’m not all rainbows and sunshine.” Shelby replied smiling.

They had been trapped for so long that by the time they left Shelby was 18, and it was pretty obvious to everyone she wasn’t going to go home. 

For the girls trauma, they were given alot of compensation.. like.. a lot. 

Shelby went with Martha and Toni and stayed at Martha’s for a while until the money came through. 

Once it came through, all the girls moved near eachother. In Chicago, not LA like Fatin hoped, but still a nice alternative. They rented a house out together, big enough for all of them and Toni and Shelby shared a room, obviously.

It felt so right for the girls to be together, They had become a family. 

They continued to live together while they all enrolled in college

(!!: I’m from the UK, I haven’t a clue about US colleges so let’s just pretend they all went to the same one)

Leah studied English Literature, while Dot enrolled in philosophy. Martha went to nursing school, hoping to eventually go into Paediatric psychiatry. Toni got a basketball scholarship ( let’s pretend she didn’t throw piss at someone) Rachel studied sports science, Fatin studied drama. Shelby thought long and hard about what to study, she decided to go for music/songwriting,, it was an outlet for the trauma she had experienced. 

For once, Shelby felt free and happy. She was still religious, but learnt she can love whoever she wants. 

Shelby came in from college one day, the hallways quiet as everyone was either at class/napping. She opened her room and seen Toni tucked into bed, watching a movie. She smiled and stared at the girl she was so hopelessly in love with.

Apparently, a little too long.

“whaaatttt?” toni said playfully

“i just can’t wait to marry you some day.” shelby said smiling. 

She knew her family wouldn’t show up, but she quickly learnt family doesn’t have to be blood. All her girls would be there, her new family.

her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a bit messy
> 
> also I know When Shelby was attacked toni provided support but didn’t do much of the wound care etc so if you’d like to see something were Toni is fully hands on while being reassuring, in a cute fluster saving her love, let me know and I’ll write a different fanfic..
> 
> or if you just want any type of different one let me know 
> 
> have a good day my lovelies <3

**Author's Note:**

> I’m going to leave this up and if anyone wants the second chapter (Shelby being rescued, her injury, her acceptance with death etc) let me know or leave a Kudos and I’ll start on it straight away, I’m just not sure if anyone’s interested! 
> 
> I suck at writing and everyone on here is so talented like how do y’all do it?? I love you all you bad bitches. i just wanted to join in as I’m so obsessed with this show
> 
> constructive criticism/opinions/kudos are more than welcome :)


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